St. Brynach's
background is shrowded in mystery. He is sometimes said to have been
the son of a King of Calabria (in Italy), although this is unlikely. He was probably from Ireland
since 'Bernach' is an Irish name and he is occasionally referred to as
Brynach Wyddel (the Irishman). As a young man, he made a pilgrimage to
Rome, where he defeated a ferocious serpent. Upon his return journey, he settled in Brittany, where he made efforts to
evangelise the local population. He
eventually moved on to Wales, floating on a stone (probably his portable
altar) and landing at Milford Haven. He first travelled north-east to
Llanboidy (Carmarthenshire) where he was denied lodgings by the locals and
slept in a cow-shed. At Cilymaellwyd he recived the same treatment and was
forced to shelter under a grey stone. Eventually he built himself a small
hermitage at Llanfyrnach in Pembrokeshire. However, there he was the victim of a vicious
spear attack by a woman whose advances he had rejected. Fortunately he was rescued
by a passer-by and washed his wounds in a nearby well, thenceforth known as the 'Fons
Rubeus'.

Brynach
found a new home at Pont-faen on the River Gwaun but was soon driven away
by demons. At Llwyn Henllan on
the River Nevern, he tried to build a church, but the locals stole all his
wood. Then an angel appeared announcing that this
latter place was not for him. So, Brynach moved on to Nevern on the banks
of the little River Caman. He introduced agriculture to the people and
taught them how to yoke wild stags to the plough and to milk the hinds. He
also chopped wood from the trees and had these deer draw it to the place
where he built a church on the site of the present one. The local king, Clether, was so impressed by
Brynach and his rhetoric that he gave up his throne in order to retire to
Cerniw (Cornwall) as a Christian hermit. He gave Brynach all his
lands and his twenty sons became his first disciples at the monastery
which developed around his little church. He also founded the churches of Dinas and Newport (Pembrokeshire),
near where he
conversed with angels on Carningli.

Brynach had a fine
cow which gave so much milk that it sustained all his monks. It was looked after by his tame wolf.
However, one day King Maelgwn Gwyneddand
his retinue arrived at Brynach's monastery, demanding food and
entertainment. When Brynach refused them, they killed the cow and
butchered it ready for cooking. However, the water would not boil and the King
perceived that God was intervening on Brynach's behalf. He immediately
apologised and tried to make amends. The magnanimous Brynach restored the
cow to life and miraculously produced a magnificent spread - plucking
bread from the trees - that
Maelgwn freed Nevern Abbey from all taxation.

During his life at
Nevern, he often moved
around somewhat
South Wales, founding churches as he went, including Llanfrynach in Brycheiniog and Llanfrynach and
Penllin in Morgannwg. He became a great friend of St.
Dewi who often visited him at Nevern. Once, Dewi arrived carrying
a heavy highly-decorated stone cross-head. He was taking it to Llanddewi
Brefi as a memorial to his achievements at the Synod held there in AD 545.
However, Brynach persuaded Dewi to give it to him instead. He had an
equally finely carved shaft made and mounted the cross on the top,
installing it on the south side of Nevern Abbey Church. (The version there
today is said to be a 10th century replacement).

Eventually, St. Brynach
left Wales to try his luck in Dumnonia. He lived as a hermit at Braunton
(North Devon) and it was there that he died on 7th January (according to
his West Country adherents) and was buried in his church there. In Wales,
however, his feast day is 7th April perhaps because this was traditionally
the day on which the first cuckoo in the country is
said to sing every year from the top of St. Brynach's famous
cross in Nevern churchyard.